1. Field of the Present Invention
This invention relates generally to a floor deck for a railroad car of the type having an open floor structure of flanged beam members and more specifically to means for mounting such a floor deck to the floor structure of the railroad car.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One typical method of fastening floor decking to the open floor structure of a railroad car is simply by bolting the floor decking to the flanged beam members of the floor structure (see, for example, Osborn, U.S. Pat. No. 2,587,754 and Sale, U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,815). Such a method is time-consuming and the bolts have a tendency to loosen due to vibrations in the railroad car and for these reasons and others has not prooved to be entirely satisfactory. Attempts have been made to overcome the problems and disadvantages associated with the bolt method of fastening floor decking to the open floor structure of a railroad car. Curtis (U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,376) discloses a system of using a clip-like tie member having a first end adapted to grippingly engage the tongue portion of typical tongue and groove tongue decking and having a second end adapted to be fixedly attached to a beam member of the open floor structure of the railroad car. The present invention is an improvement over such a system.